Two hippos at Antwerp Zoo in Belgium tested positive with COVID-19, possibly the first cases of the disease in the species, according to zoo staff.
Imani, 14-year-old hippos, and Hermien, 41-year-old hippos, show no symptoms other than a runny nose, but the zoo said the duo had been quarantined as a precaution.
“This is the first time in this species that I am aware of. This virus has been found in great apes and felines all across the world “Francis Vercammen, the zoo’s veterinarian, agreed.
Canada also reported earlier this week that three Covid cases had been detected in wild deer, marking the first time the disease has been discovered in the country’s animals.
However, due to a lack of testing, no one knows how often coronavirus is in the wild.
